


The King and I

by jessica988



Category: Frozen (2013), Kristanna - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Kristanna
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 09:00:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3284534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jessica988/pseuds/jessica988
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every day he saw that painting, every day he saw those watchful eyes, and every day Kristoff wondered what the King would think of him if he was here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The King and I

Kristoff didn’t understand why, but once again he found himself staring up at the painting. He had seen it before, several times in fact since he had been here. Every evening, when he, Anna and Elsa (he would never get used to calling her that) would come to relax after a long day, it hung there, watching them as they played chess, read, or talked. Its’ presence was hard to miss with how exceptionally large it was and how it watched over the library from atop the fireplace.

 

He wasn’t sure what it was that kept drawing him to the painting.

 

It wasn’t the details within the picture; a gleam off the crown had been created, the hair nearly seeming real within the light, and the gowns and suits of the different guests who watched the man stand before them were all very well done to be frank. But though he did find himself completely lost in the detail of the painting, that wasn’t what drew him in. Nor was it the wonderful array of colors, the mix of dark purples and blues with the bold greens and shining gold.

 

It was the man in the painting itself, the one that took up majority of the painting.

 

The King; the previous ruler of Arendelle, one of the best leaders the kingdom had seen in its time, and more importantly, Elsa and Anna’s father.

 

Kristoff stared up into the eyes of the man that once looked over this kingdom, who still did in his own way. He seemed to be like every royal; regal, poised, serious. But Kristoff knew too well looks could be deceiving. He wondered what the man was truly like, if he really was a regal as the painting created him to seem.

 

He knew the story of how he came to power; first in line, following his sister who was married off to another man out of love, actual love and not for just simple trade agreements and deals. It was unheard of to see a royal married off like that, and it was unthinkable for two royals to be married for those reasons. The King himself found love within a princess from a small neighboring kingdom; Elsa and Anna’s future mother.

 

Rumors had swirled about her kindness, her grace, and her smile soft and eyes full of care. There were even rumors of the Queen sitting with her husband within meetings, not hesitant of the fact to speak her mind on the subject at hand. The King himself was also very vocal; not afraid to speak openly and to stick men in their place. He involved himself in things that other men of royalty never even stuck a finger in.

 

Such things were unheard of and yet, it didn’t surprise Kristoff one bit to hear this. It just seemed to fit the family, breaking rules and avoiding the usual status quo. But still, as Kristoff stared up at the large man, he wondered, as he shifted his head to the side.

 

The image showed a regal, serious man and though he had heard stories of the man’s generosity and his kindness, along with his wife’s, he just wasn’t sure. He was so poised, such the image of sophistication, that Kristoff just couldn’t help but feel that maybe, maybe the rumors of the man’s kindness were just rumors. There was just something about him, maybe his eyes or his face he wasn’t sure, that made Kristoff feel so uneasy.

 

Small hands found his large one and Kristoff glanced down to find Anna looking up at her father,

 

“You know, you’re starting to worry me with this whole staring at the painting thing.”

 

Kristoff smirked, “At least I’m not talking to it.”

 

Anna smiled, “I would actually be less worried if you did.”

 

Kristoff chuckled, turning his gaze back to the painting. They stood in silence for a moment, both taking in the image.

 

“This is the fifth time I’ve found you here.” Anna murmured, her hand squeezing his. “Elsa said she’s found you a few times and caught you looking a few nights too.”

 

Kristoff sighed, “Do—do you think he would like me?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Kristoff looked away, down into Anna’s confused face. “Your Father. Do you, uh, think he would have liked me, if he were here? If we had met.” Kristoff watched Anna begin to think, biting her lip and looking to the floor. Her hands rubbed his own while silence once again echoed in the room until Anna looked back up at the painting with a small smile.

 

“You know, I think he would have.” Anna said.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

Anna giggled, “Yes, I’m sure. He is, well, _was_ Father.” There was a slight pang of hurt in her voice, “I would know how he was.” She looked at him with a smile, one he couldn’t return.

 

Kristoff sighed, looking back at the King. “But he seems so regal, so poised, so royal…so not me. At all.”

 

“So?”

 

“So, I mean, I’m the complete opposite of what he would want for you.” Kristoff closed his eyes, squeezing her hand; “He would have want you with a royal, not me. I mean, I have nothing to give you. I have no money, no home, no land—“

 

“But you have love.” Anna interrupted, causing Kristoff to open his eyes.

 

“That wouldn’t be enough.” Kristoff replied in barely a whisper, silently hoping she didn’t hear.

 

“We’ve been through this.” She replied sternly, “I don’t care what class you are or whatever. I love you for you. I don’t want anything from you except just your love and well, you of course.” Anna giggled, but Kristoff was silent. Soft hands cupped his cheek and he was forced to look at her. “What’s brought this on? Why all of a sudden are you feeling like this?”

 

“Every time I’m in here I just…I just feel so inadequate seeing him there.” He shrugged towards the painting. “It’s like…it’s like he’s judging me for being here; for not fitting in. It makes me wonder if he would even approve or like me for that matter. I’m not saying he’s a bad man or anything. All the village says is how great he was but, I just—I—I don’t know.” Kristoff groaned. “It sounds so stupid.”

 

“Not really.” Anna said with a shrug, “Father always had a way of making people uneasy. Mama would say he could make a man turn to stone with how stern he would look.” She smiled. “She’d say ‘the day your Father smiles in council, will be the day the Fjord freezes over’.”

 

Kristoff couldn’t help but chuckle, “They could have just asked your sister to do that.”

 

She punched his arm lightly, but she couldn’t hold back her smile. “Ha ha very funny.” She looked back towards her father, studied it for a moment and started giggling.

 

“What’s so funny?”

 

“When they were painting this, apparently my Father could not stand still.” She sighed happily, “He kept twitching and shifting and the painter got so mad, telling him he was acting like a child. But no matter how much the man complained, my Father just could not stand still for long. Come to find out, he had had a full tray of chocolates right before.”

 

“You’re joking.”

 

“Ha, I wish! Where do you think I get my love for chocolates from?”

 

“I’ve…I’ve never really thought about it.”

 

“Yeah,” Anna sighed, “After lessons, if I had done really well, we would sneak down to the kitchens and grab as much chocolate as possible before Gerda or Mama would catch us.”

 

“Why not just request for some, I mean, he was the king?”

 

Anna shrugged, “It was more fun that way. We would sneak all the way down to the kitchens. I think we only got caught twice.”

 

“Let me guess, you were the reason you got caught!”

 

“NO!” Anna said quickly, glaring at him. Then she eased her stare, “Ok, maybe one time I knocked over an entire suit of armor but it was a complete accident!”

 

“You’re such a klutz.” Kristoff laughed.

 

“He wasn’t any better!” Anna said in annoyance.

 

“Wait, you’re Dad was clumsy too?”

 

“Oh completely!” Anna said, “I can’t even tell you how many times he fell while playing tag, or how many times he tripped on the carpet when he was walking down the halls. The other time we got caught was because he forgot one last step on the staircase and he fell and sent the entire tray of chocolates flying. Mama was laughing too hard to even be angry.”

 

Kristoff looked back at the painting in confusion. Surely this regal, poised man wasn’t the same man Anna had just described. There was just, no way. 

 

“He always read me bedtimes stories before bed.” Anna murmured. “He kept trying to get me interested in History books. I think Mama was trying to really, saying something that it would help with my tutoring.”

 

“It would make you fall asleep faster that’s for sure.” Kristoff snorted.

 

“I could barely make it through the first two pages of King Edward’s ruling.” Anna replied. “Father barely could either some nights. So we went back to our usual fairy tales.” Anna sighed. “I remember I asked him once about Princes and if I would ever meet one. If I would have my own Prince Charming and happily ever after.”

 

Kristoff winced a little, “What did he say?”

 

Anna looped her arm through his, “He said that if I find the right person, then yes.” She paused. “He said there is more to Prince Charming than just being a Prince. That there are things that Prince Charming would have to be able to do to really be the one. There was a list he had that he would have to be able to meet.”

 

Kristoff furrowed his brow and looked over in curiosity. “What exactly was on that list?”

 

Anna shrugged. “I’m not really sure. It was his list really. I just know that every time he got a letter from some King asking for his son to meet Elsa or me, he would always groan and toss it in the fire. Always grumbling under his breath about either too snooty or too stern or too…something.” Anna rubbed her free hand up and down his arm. “But there was one thing I did know that was on the list. He had to make me feel happy and loved. He would say ‘If he makes you happy, if he makes you feel special not because you are a princess, but because he loves you, then he has a chance.’” Anna snickered, looking back up to her Father. “Elsa and I’s happiness was his first and main concern. Always. If we were happy, he was happy.”

 

Kristoff found her hand and squeezed, making her blues turn back to him, “And…and do I make you happy? Do…do I make you feel special?” That was all he ever wanted her to feel. To make her feel loved and special and just as important as he was to her. Anna was everything to him, she was his world, and he made sure to try and show that to her.

 

Anna smiled, eyes brimming with tears, “More than you even know.”

 

Kristoff smiled, leaning down to kiss her, slowly and passionately; putting as much love as he possibly could into the moment.

 

Later on that afternoon, as Anna and Elsa began their new game of Chess, Kristoff glanced back at the painting once more.

 

His stomach did not flip; the man’s gaze did not seem harsh or judging, but softer, gentler, accepting eyes.

 

He may not have known what the King’s list was, but as the feeling of ease washed over him, he had a feeling that he may just possibly meet up to some of those key Prince Charming points.


End file.
